Junior engineers with around 25-30 years service in Power Development Department (PDD) have expressed resentment against what they termed as “apathetic” attitude of the department.

A delegation of senior most junior engineers accused the PDD of “unduly” ceasing to release the due share in promotion from JE to AE level as specified for them as per Engineering Gazetted Recruitment Rules of 1978.

“We have been denied share in promotion despite clear cut instruction conveyed by deputy Chief Minister who is also Power minister vide communication No. PS/HDCM/1466/2017 dated 16-11-2017 after a high level deliberations on the issue in the meeting on 16-10-2017 wherein apart from principal secretary to government JKPDD, worthy chief secretary of the state also participated,” they said.

“The deputy Chief Minister and chief secretary have viewed seriously the non-release of proportionate quota for diploma Engineers in JKPDD while effecting placement of 41 degree engineers as I/C AEs vide order No 92-PDD of 2017 dated 28-04-2017 and it has been instructed that the same shall be released at an earliest,” the delegation said quoting an official document.

The aggrieved engineers said that Career Progression scheme in 2011 was mooted by the administrative heads of Engineering departments under the supervision of then chief secretary of the State for removing stagnation of the diploma engineers. The scheme also envisaged re-shaping the “distorted” pyramid at gazetted level in all engineering departments resulting in issuance of the cabinet decision No 165/21/2011 dated: 26/09/2011 and G.O.No. 370-PW(Hyd) of 2011 dated 30-09-2011.

“By virtue of these orders 227 AE posts in JKPDD and 544 AE posts in other engineering departments were created by corresponding reduction of JE I posts. Other engineering departments apart from utilising full quota of specially created 544 posts by promoting all the available JE Ist candidates and also those who were eligible for placement as JE prior to cabinet decision have in routine manner carried out the normal promotion of diploma engineers from JE to AE level since 2011.”

They said the PDD placed 155 JE Ist candidates comprising 154 diploma engineers and one degree engineer as I/C AEs vide order No 56-PDD of 2012 dated: 28-02-2012 while the remaining posts remained unfilled.

“After the implementation of cabinet decision to the effect of 155 as against 227 placements, the department, in routine manner, has been promoting Diploma Engineers from JE to AE level under normal promotion quota as is evident from Govt Orders 24-PDD of 2014 dated: 05-02-2014 , 50 PDD of 2014 dt 28-02-2014, 56 PDD of 2014 dt; 04-03-2014, 201-PDD of 2014 Dt ;18-10-2014, 156-PDD of 2015 Dt 30-07-2015, 246-PDD of 2017 dated: 10-11-2017,” they said.

“The department has admitted before the court that posts in the quota of degree holders have not been utilised for placement of JE (diploma Holders) to the post of AEs issued vide G.O. No. 56-PDD of 2012 dated: 28-02-2012 and further there is no violation of Recruitment rules while placing eligible diploma holders as I/C AEs vide G.O. No. 24-PDD of 2014 dated: 05-02-2014. But the same has been made within 20% quota prescribed for diploma holders in terms of engineering(Gazetted) Service Recruitment rules of 1978,” they said.

Elaborating they said, “effecting placement of 41 degree engineers on 28-04-2017, due share for diploma engineers was not released on the plea that the requisite vigilance clearance is yet to be received in their favour.”

“Despite seeking the vigilance clearance of the diploma engineers twice since 2017, the share is yet to be released making the already distressed engineers, especially those who are likely to retire without availing a single promotion during their entire service, to suffer for no fault of ours,” they added.

A senior official said the issue of promotion of JEs was pending for long time. “Despite repeated assurances by the department there has been no progress on the issue,” said the official.